Penn State already has 31 NCAA varsity sports teams, most of which compete at a high level. Each team brings a diverse and exciting environment to the university and proudly represents Penn State. With that said, we think there’s room for a few more sports.

With flag football moving towards NCAA championship status, there might be some needed workarounds for Penn State under Title IX. With that in mind, we compiled additions we think would make Penn State athletics even more exciting for the 2026-27 athletics year.

Flag Football

The obvious first choice, the NCAA recently announced that flag football could become a championship sport as early as this year. It would be a great opportunity for Penn State to show support for women’s athletics by adding a sport that is growing rapidly nationwide.

Flag football would become the third women’s sport to emerge with championship status in 2026. If approved, a Penn State team would be able to compete for a national title immediately and bring it back to State College.

Imagine both football teams in the College Football Playoffs at the same time?

Rowing

While Penn State has a club crew team, adding it to the varsity roster would be a great expansion. The Big Ten Women’s Rowing Championship was held on May 16-17, featuring 11 schools. The sport has a long tradition, and the Nittany Lions could compete for Big Ten and NCAA championships with sufficient local facilities.

Only two Big Ten schools have a men’s rowing team, but many universities have club teams. The NCAA could consider making it a varsity sport, or Penn State could join a local conference to compete.

Squash

While squash is not an NCAA-sanctioned varsity sport, there is the College Squash Association. With the IM already holding a few squash courts, the school has the infrastructure to start a team. Plus, they are usually full, so the interest is already there.

Also, squash is a very north-dominant collegiate sport, so the team wouldn’t have to travel too far to compete at the Division I level.

Skiing

There aren’t many universities in America with collegiate skiing programs, but the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association includes Vermont, Colby, Williams, St. Lawrence, and Middlebury.

Happy Valley’s climate is typically very cold, which would be well-suited to a new winter sport. Penn State also recently had representatives in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, and a ski team could add to that list of athletes.

Not to mention, we all know Tussey Mountain breeds some of the most elite skiers in Pennsylvania.

Equestrian

With all the farms and horses that surround Penn State, it would be fitting to have a varsity equestrian team. Penn State does have a competitive club team; however, it is not affiliated with the NCAA.

The team definitely has the resources and environment to compete at a higher level and become a varsity team.

Just like Snoop Dogg, we would love to see some more horses around campus.